Grand Marnier Souffle

Grand Marnier Soufflé

A classic French orange-scented soufflé built on a pastry-cream base and lightened with whisked egg whites. Serve it straight from the oven before it loses its precious rise.

Prep

25 min

Cook

18 min

Total

43 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, plus extra for the moulds
• •30 g (¼ cup) caster sugar, for the base
• •20 g (3 tbsp) plain flour
• •125 ml (½ cup) whole milk
• •1 piece vanilla pod, split, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• •3 whole egg yolks, large
• •40 ml (2½ tbsp) Grand Marnier, orange liqueur
• •1 tsp finely grated orange zest, from 1 unwaxed orange
• •4 whole egg whites, large, at room temperature
• •1 pinch fine salt
• •60 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar, for the meringue
• •20 g (2 tbsp) caster sugar, for coating the moulds
• •10 g (1 tbsp) icing sugar, for dusting

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Place a baking sheet on the middle rack to heat. Brush four 150 ml (5 fl oz) ramekins or one 600 ml (20 fl oz) straight-sided soufflé dish thoroughly with softened butter using downward strokes, then chill briefly. Coat the inside with caster sugar, tapping out the excess.
2. 2 Make the base: melt the 30 g butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour and cook 1 minute without browning. Pour in the milk (with the scraped vanilla seeds and pod) and whisk until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod.
3. 3 Whisk the egg yolks with the 30 g sugar in a bowl until pale, then whisk in the hot milk mixture in a thin stream. Return the lot to the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens and just comes to a simmer (it should reach 82°C / 180°F on a thermometer). Do not let it boil.
4. 4 Off the heat, stir in the Grand Marnier and orange zest. Press a sheet of cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin and leave to cool to lukewarm (about 40°C / 104°F).
5. 5 In a scrupulously clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt on medium speed until foamy, then increase the speed and gradually add the 60 g sugar. Beat to soft, glossy peaks that just hold their shape when the whisk is lifted.
6. 6 Whisk about one-third of the whites into the cooled base to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining whites in two additions with a large metal spoon, cutting through the center and sweeping under the surface. Stop as soon as no white streaks remain; do not overmix or the soufflé will deflate.
7. 7 Transfer the mixture to the prepared mould(s), filling them to the top. Smooth the surface with a palette knife and run your thumb around the inside rim to create a small trough (this helps the soufflé rise evenly).
8. 8 Place on the hot baking sheet and bake immediately: 14–16 minutes for individual ramekins, or 18–22 minutes for one large dish. The soufflé is done when it has risen 3–4 cm above the rim, the top is set and lightly golden, and it still has a faint wobble in the very center. Do not open the oven in the first 12 minutes.
9. 9 Dust the top with icing sugar and serve at once, in the dish, with a little extra cold Grand Marnier poured tableside if you like.